• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Manapla Mayor Mika Escalante said Aug. 23 that the municipal government is eyeing a value-added crab product to help the industry that has been affected by the ongoing blue swimming crab import ban imposed by the United States on the Philippines.
Escalante said they plan to develop this product that can preserve the longevity of the crabmeats and can even be exported.
The goal is to help residents dependent on crabs for their livelihood, while ensuring sustainability of the industry, she said. “This is something that we want to develop as an OTOP (one town, one product) of Manapla, aside from puto.”
She said they want to set the standard in purchasing the crabs from fishers and sellers, and ensure that the rules on sustainable crab harvesting are complied with.
Aside from E.B. Magalona, Manapla is also a big supplier of crabs in the province, the mayor said, adding that five processing/packing plants operate in the town.
While E.B. Magalona initiated the eat-all-you-can crabs event every Saturday of August to help crab pickers and fisherfolk, Escalante said their plan can help residents even during off-season, while ensuring quality and sustainability.
The blue swimming crab industry is a major fisheries-based industries in Negros Occidental and neighboring areas. A crab processing company had said the ban affects about 10,000 fishermen and 4,000 crab meat pickers in Negros, Panay, Bicol, Samar, Leyte, and parts of Mindanao. | CGC
